Before I start this post, and particularly for the benefit of any new readers, I’d like to point out that I’m not a train spotter. Nor do I wear an anorak or NHS specs held together with sellotape. But I do travel on the trains every day, so it is natural to notice things about them. Ok?
Having made that clear, I’ll proceed…

Wessex Trains seem to be forever short of rolling stock. Usually, the train I get home is a reasonably modern two-carriage jobbie. Occasionally, we get a much older two-carriage jobbie that is incredibly noisy and uncomfortable, and it is on those nights that I am glad that I’m only on the train for eight minutes. But tonight, we were treated to something that I’ve never seen before in seven years of commuting – five old-style inter-city carriages between two diesel locomotives, and, as far as I’m concerned, they can run that all the time. That many carriages means no overcrowding (it’s normally packed) and the seats are HUGE – you could have a friend to share your seat and still not be uncomfortable! (ok, maybe that’s exaggerating, but you get my point).
One of the things I noticed about this train was that the locomotives are named. The front one was called Warminster – pretty unremarkable as names go. But the rear one was named Cerberus, complete with illustration of the devil’s three-headed canine companion. I reckon that’s a pretty cool name for a train.

……concentration …… levels ….. very …….. loooow….
My mind is just wandering all over the place today. There is shedloads on my mind of all sorts. I’m actually looking forward to heading down the bar tonight – or maybe just collapsing on the sofa and sleeping. Then again, I might have to clean the flat.

Oh, and Graybo watchers will be pleased to know that both of yesterday’s very different meetings went well. Of course, as with all good meetings, I’m now left with a pile of stuff to do, but it is good stuff, and I feel that everything is proceeding well (famous last words).

I’m inclined to agree with Lord May – he makes a reasoned point, not least on the need for science to be open and look at wider ethical and moral issues. Only if it adopts such a "market oriented" approach can science hope to gain the trust of the public at large.

hmm. Just tried to look at the BBC News page, and it is completely blank apart from a zero in the top left corner.
As Nico just suggested to me, "P45" might be more appropriate than "0".
Obviously, someone at the Beeb is having the same sort of day as me.

five.

Maybe my ominosity quotient explains why I’ve been wandering around today in a totally head-in-the-clouds fashion. I certainly don’t think it can be blamed on the one (quite small, by my standards) vodka and tonic I had at home last night. There’s too much on my mind, I’m sure.
As an example, I first wrote this with "balmed" instead of "blamed". I think I need to go out and get blammed.